To say it's been a hell of a week would be a gross understatement. This week, Americans have been beat, bludgeoned, and bloodied by the hard reality that there are time when life can suck even when you live in the greatest nation in the world. I just read a news report saying that it's been a chaotic week for the nation, and there's absolutely no arguing that. Likewise, there's no getting away from it. Terrorist bombings, manhunts, grounded flights, weather woes, fertilizer plant explosions, poision laced letters to politicians, and then a 23 hour hunt as they closed in on the terrorists responsible for the bombings that opened this week. The news has been overwhelming this week and they're right - there's no turning it off. Everywhere you go, there it is. I remember reading a post on Facebook from someone at Charlotte-Douglas Airport saying it was creepy for people to be gathered around televisions like that and I can certainly understand why. To be at home watching all of this unfold is one thing. To be away from home, seperated from the people, places and things you love, probably adds a sense of isolation. An yet, isn't that reality? Sometimes it keeps kicking you over and over. Rick said something yesterday about how it seems that the harder it is, the harder it gets. I have to agree. For some reason, it seems that once that ball starts rolling, it doesn't know when to quit. The bad news keeps rolling in. You want to hide, but you can't. It hunts you down. It finds you. It is a double edged thing, though. Throughout this tragedy, consider how you've seen people come together to help and comfort one another. Consider the law enforcement officers working tirelessly to ensure that the culprits behind the bombings were caught so the people of Boston could feel secure again. Consider the extraordinary steps taken to ensure that nobody was hurt by those poisioned letters. Consider the tireless efforts of the emergency responders to the explosion in Texas. Consider the outpouring of sympathy, support, and encouragement that's been offered. We've learned a lot about ourselves as Americans this week. We've learned that we aren't afraid and we'll stop at nothing to find and apprehend those that threaten us. We've learned to be compassionate, giving, and sympathetic. We've learned to be very mindful of our surroundings, and that we all have a role to play in the safety and security of our society. We've learned that we're stronger than we imagined. We've learned how much we've grown since 9-11 which, it turns out, is exponentially. Reality is a double edged sword. It hurts, but the truth it brings also heals and helps us to become better people. Now we must move on from this hellish week and decide what we're going to with what we've learned from all of this. One things for sure: We are not afraid and we won't be terrorized in our own homes. Take heart in knowing that it seems true that the good will always win over the bad. It might lose battles here and there, but I think last night's events in Boston prove that it will win the war. That's all today. Have a great weekend and here's hoping next week is MUCH better for us all!Bye!

Sherri the Writer

By day, I'm a program assistant. By night, I'm an independent author. My fiction is a dark mirror to the reality I see every day.